The European Commission has foreseen to increase from 400,000 recipients per year now to almost 800,000 in future, the number of young people, teachers and researchers who get EU grants for study and training abroad. In addition, among their plans as part of the Commission's proposal, a new programme for education, training and youth would allocate €15.2 billion (+73%) over seven years. The Commission will present detailed proposals for the new programmes in the autumn.

According to European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, Androulla Vassiliou, the significant increase in EU investment for education, youth and creativity proposed by the Commission in its budget plan for 2014-2020 is essential for meeting future job needs and fighting poverty. Investing more in the creative industries will also boost job opportunities in a sector which represents 4.5% of EU GDP and 3.8% of employment.

Around 400,000 young people, students, teachers and researchers benefit from EU grants for study, training and volunteering abroad every year. However demand for places is huge and one in every two applicants is turned down due to insufficient resources. With the new programme, the EU would support up to 800,000 people per year. This investment will also be a catalyst for modernising universities, training institutions and schools. Among their objectives, the programme will give the EU the means to better support co-operation between education institutions and the world of work. Moreover, it would allow the EU to help Member States design and apply effective education policies and reforms and transfer innovative approaches to others. The Commission also proposes to develop, with the European Investment Bank, a programme to provide guaranteed loans for Master's students on a full degree course abroad. This 'Erasmus for Masters' scheme would address a current gap in financial support.

In addition, the 'Creative Europe' programme will help to preserve cultural heritage and to increase the circulation of creative works inside and outside the EU. This programme will play an important role in stimulating cross border co-operation, promoting peer learning and making these sectors more professional. The new 'Creative Europe' programme, encompassing the current Culture, MEDIA and MEDIA Mundus schemes, will support the cultural and creative sectors with a budget of €1.6 billion (+37%). The focus will be on helping organisations and enterprises that operate across borders and have a strong link to the promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity. The Commission will also propose a financial instrument, run by the European Investment Bank, to provide debt and equity finance for cultural and creative industries.

EU support in the creative sector has a significant leverage effect in attracting further public and private investment. This improves competitiveness, especially among small businesses, helps to create job opportunities and contributes to innovation and to local and regional development.